Interview with Concerned Dietitians in Spain (Part 2)

Last Friday, we shared the first half of our email interview with Dietetica Sin Patrocinadores (DSP — which translates to Dietetics Without Sponsors), a group based in Spain with concerns and goals similar to those of Dietitians For Professional Integrity.

The second part of our interview continues below:

Q: What would you characterize as your most important milestones since you created the group?

A: Creating the group itself was a milestone, in that it provided a space for those of who had these concerns but felt isolated or powerless. A lot can happen when people come together for one cause.

In turn, the group has allowed us to make important and meaningful connections with other professionals (this email exchange is an example of that!).

We are also very proud of the annual conferences we have held. This May, we will have our third; each one has significantly more attendance tan the last.

Also, last year we were nominated in Spain’s largest web-based awards (in the “Best Social Action Blog” category).

And, we are also now a registered non-profit and an approved scientific association.

Q: What message do you have for fellow dietitians around the globe who are equally concerned about the food industry co-opting and distorting health messaging?

A: Join us and let’s work together on best strategies to combat this problem. Concern is good, but it needs to be followed up with action, and the best action comes from finding like-minded colleagues who inspire you and with whom you can have meaningful conversation.

We can exchange thoughts on whether strategies like soda taxes and declarations of conflicts of interest are sufficient, impactful, and meaningful in our respective countries. We should also have dialogue about how to improve our messaging and learn from each other.

Get in touch with us. Email us. Set up a video chat. Don’t allow your concerns to overwhelm you or make you think you are alone. Use your concerns as a launching pad.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

A: One criticism we have received is that DSP is not an official sub-group of Spain’s dietitian organization. We think that is actually an asset. We welcome anyone with a science-based background who has legitimate concerns about the food industry’s co-optation of health messaging and sponsorship of health organizations. If you are a biologist or a physicist who shares our concerns, why wouldn’t we welcome you?

Thank you to our Spanish colleagues for their time, and congratulations on their successes. Onward!

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